Mary Dickens was born in England, a daughter of William and Sarah Dickens. We have reason to believe that her mother was Sarah Barrow who was the older sister of Elizabeth Dixon Barrow, who was the mother of the author, Charles Dickens. Her parents, being adverse to her marriage to a lowly coachman, Mary eloped with Edward Oakley and they were married on Nov. 17, 1851, thereupon emigrating to Canada. Edward was a coachman for much of his life in Massachusetts and also worked for the Revere Copper Works in Canton MA. Mary was an educated and well-accomplished lady and could play the piano. While living in Canton she became well-acquainted with either the daughter or grand-daughter of Paul Revere. Some records give her date of death as Feb. 20, 1892 in Warwick MA; but our family information is that she passed away on Feb. 19, 1892 in Natick MA. Her gravestone in Warwick first gives her year of birth as 1828, but it is believed that she added 3 years to her age in order to elope and get married. This wasn't discovered until after her death in 1892 and her stone was erected. When Edward died in 1902 (see Edward's bio), the year 1831 was added either to her stone or added to Edward's stone. I am awaiting photos of both of their gravestones to ascertain which.
Edward and Mary's only child was Mary Dickens Oakley, born in Canton MA on July 6, 1856. She married Cyril Gerald Patenaude (1861-1952) on Dec. 8, 1880 in Athol MA. They had 10 children of which 8 survived. Mary Dickens (Oakley) Patenaude passed away on May 19, 1923 in Athol, and they are both interred in Silver Lake Cemetery, Athol MA.

** The Oakleys grave site is in Section 3, Lot 55 (only ones) near the Soldiers Monument off Monument Avenue - opposite side, 3 rows back and a couple lots down (away). The Soldiers Monument (Civil War) is the largest monument by far.